This invention relates to the tinning of leads on electronic components and, more particularly, to a system for automatically tinning the leads of axial lead electronic components.
In order to improve the solderability of the leads of electronic components, it is desirable to deposit a thin layer of solder on the component leads prior to the insertion of the components in an electronic circuit. The process of forming this thin layer of solder is generally referred to as tinning and is typically manually performed by an operator who first dips the component leads into solder flux and then dips the leads into a molten pool of solder. This process is not only tedious and time-consuming but it also presents certain safety hazards by exposing the operator to solder flux and molten solder. It is therefore desirable to devise an automated tinning system which would enhance operator safety while reducing the time required to complete the process for a given number of components.